Dallas Cowboys Blog

Roy Williams: We got Wade fired

Wide receiver Roy Williams said players should feel responsible for Wade Phillips’ firing and be motivated to make sure they don’t get his replacement fired as well. Jason Garrett has eight games to convince Jerry Jones to take interim off his title.

Asked how much of Phillips’ dismissal falls at the players’ feet, Williams said:

“I never speak for anybody else but me, but I take it 100 percent. One-hundred percent players. When a coach throws you a bone, rests you, keep you off your feet and everything, all he is asking you is to go out there and win on Sunday. Be mentally prepared, know your stuff. We didn’t do that and that’s what happened.”

Williams said he’d like to coach after his playing career. And as coach “I would never take the glory away from players, and I would never blame my players for anything. But in reality, we, as the Dallas Cowboys football team, got Wade fired. That’s us. Nothing that he did was wrong. We just didn’t play. We haven’t played good this year.”

Williams laments that Phillips paid the price for their poor performance. Asked if the Cowboys needed a strong disciplinarian, Williams said:

“Just play. I don’t care if you bring in President Obama. I believe in coaches and what not, but coaches don’t play.You are a grown man, 23-plus years old. Do you need to be motivated to play in this league?”